Fresh from pacing at the Adizero, the Road to Records, Victor Kptum will be the key athlete at this weekend’s International Sports School Federation (ISF) The World School Cross Country Championships that will be held at the Ngong Racecourse, Nairobi.
The form three student at the AIC Kosirai High school in Nandi County, will lead the under 18 boys’ category in search of the medals.
Kiptum, who paced the reigning Commonwealth games 5,000m silver medalist Nicholas Kipkorir Kimeli.
I was given pace when Adizero assisted Kimeli to win the 10km race, which was an improvement from last year when he was third. I was handed the running time and because it was my first time to pace, I was so happy though challenging. I paced for 3km yet I had been given 2km,” said the 17 year old.
He reiterated that pacing for Kimeli was not easy because being the first time even boarding a plane and pacing at search high voltage race.
“Kimeli has a big name out there, a very strong athlete across the world and because it was my first time to pace, I thank God for that. The pacing has shown me that running is not easy and I can run well on a big stage,” he said.
With the ISF coming home, he said that he will prove his worth. “I have already made it to the team and we are looking for medals, not anything else. Now that we are in a training camp, we are training well unlike during trials when I had an injury and finishing in position 9 in Nakuru. We ran with rain during the Rift Valley Secondary Schools Sports Association in Kapsabet then to Nkauru for trials so it was so cold but now I am fine ready for the medals,” said Kiptum.
Speaking at their residential training camp in Ngong, Kiptum said that he started running while in primary school through his teacher Mr Ezekiel.
“After primary, I stayed at home because I did not get enough marks to join my dream School, Kosirai because they nurture running talents. I told my father that I wanted to join Kosirai but my marks were too low,” he said.
He wanted to fit in the shoes of former world 3,000m steeplechase Conseslas Kipruto, world 800m silver medalist Emmanuel Wanyonyi, two time Commonwealth Games 3,000m steeplechase champion Abraham Kibiwot among others.
“I told God to open doors for me and when I went to request for a place I was subjected to trials and I passed then I joined my dream school. At first I never took positions one but I knew that I was capable,” he said.
He added that his coach used to give his training programs, which he went for several trials before landing the management job at the Brother Colm O’Connel in Iten.
“Our home, we are not that good financially and joining Kosirai was a dream come true. When I was handed the admission letter, I started training with Wanyonyi who used to give me a training program,” he said